Tap



' June 6, 1939- o. H. YATES 2,161,497

TAP

Filed July 29, 1938 INVENTOR ULENfi. 3592 275. BY

ATTORNEY Patented June 6, 1939 PATENT} oFF cE TAP Olen H. Yates, Detroit, Mich. Application July 29,- 1938, Serial No. 222,002

Claims.

This invention relates to devices known commonly as taps. These taps are ordinarily made in the form of small plates and are attached to the soles or heels of shoes worn by persons engaged in dancing, particularly in tap dancing. The purpose is to produce a distinct sound, the sound being produced by the impact of the tap against the dance floor. The sound produced by the taps accentuates the rhythm of the dance and adds materially to the enjoyment of persons watching the dance. This rhythmic sound of the tap dancing is particularly important to persons who do not see the dancer but who only listen to the dance, that is, to the rhythmic taps of it on the radio.

It was generally recognized that the quality of the taps produced by the impact against the floor may vary and that one particular quality of the sound may be more attractive than another. It is along this line of producing a more attractive sound that I made my improvement. Having an intimate knowledge of the requirements of persons engaged in tap dancing, I have, after numerous .experiments, devised my new and improved tap. The tap, owing to its construction, produces a sound distinctly its own, having some of the quality of the sound made by castanets. It is .for that reason that I call the effect produced by my taps castanet effect and that I bestow upon my taps the name castanet taps.

I shall now describe my invention in detail, referring to the accompanying illustration, in which:

Fig. 1 shows the plan view of my castanet tap as attached to the pointed end of the shoe sole.

Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of the component parts of my tap.

Fig. 3 shows a longitudinal sectional view of my castanet tap attached to the shoe,'the section being taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 shows a side view of my castanet showing an exaggerated spread of its parts.

Fig. 5 shows a perspective view of my tap as attached to the heel of a shoe. 45 Similar numerals refer to throughout the several views.

The tap is best made of light metal, particularly of cast metal such as aluminum or an alloy thereof. It may, of course, be made of some other substance or sheet metal if preferred, although my experience shows that cast metal is most adapted to produce the effect for which the tap has been designed.

The tap, which as a whole is indicated by numeral I0, is composed of two parts or members similar parts II and I2. The aforesaid part II is best made of cast metal, as explained above, and has ,a semi-elliptical outline, including a base which is formed by. the shorter axis of the ellipse. In general, this member II presents a dishlike appearance, its outer surface sloping towards the edges which are comparatively thin, while the inner surface is provided with a depression forming a sound box I3 with sloping walls I 4. The rim [5 around the sound box I3 is flat and more or less parallel to the bottom of the sound box. The bottom of the sound box is provided with an opening I6 which may be circular or in some other form, the purpose of it being to release or transmit sound'froin said sound box. 1

Holes Il,-located in rim I5 close to the base 2! of the tap, serve to accommodate screws or nails by means of which the tap may be connected to its cover I2 and the respective place on the dancer's shoe. Hole I8, placed at the apex of the tap on rim I5, is made somewhat larger than the nail or screw by which the tap is to be attached to the shoe. The purpose of that will be described later. I9 indicates screws or nails.

The complementary part of the tap, namely member I2, is best made 0f thin sheet metal and follows in outline the outline of the previously described member II. It is provided with two holes 22 near its base and an additional hole 23 at its apex.

The manner in which the tap is to be attached to the shoe is very important, as upon it depends the sound to be produced by my said improved tap. The tap is best attached to the tip of the sole 24 of the shoe so that the apex of the tap conforms to the apex of said sole. The two parts II and I2 are put together, part l2 being laid over member II so that the holes I! and 22 and the holes I8 and 23 are in register, whereupon the tap is applied to the apex of the shoe, plate I2 being placed next to the sole and member II containing the sound box forming the outward member of the tap. Subsequently the tap as a whole is attached to the wall by means of nails or screws driven into the sole through holes I! and 22, in such a manner that the plates II and I2, at their respective bases, are in close abutment; A smooth nail of adiameter slightly smaller than the hole I8 is driven into the shoe sole through the hole l8 in such a manner, however, as to leave an open space or a clearance between the rim I5 at the apex of member II and between the corresponding part of the apex in plate I2.

My tap may be equally serviceable when placed on the heel 25 of a shoe. In such a case the method of attachment in view of the above description, is quite obvious, the important factor being that the two component parts of my tap, that is, parts II and I2, be only loosely joined at the apex so as to leave a free space between the two component members. When the tap is in place on the heel and the same is brought down upon the floor by the dancer, the two component members are caused to clash together producing the aforedescribed sound.

When the tap is duly in place and the dancer brings the tip of the sole down upon the floor,-

the apex of the outward member II is brought rapidly into contact with the overlying plate I2,--- this being possible owing to the fact that the hole I8 is larger than the diameter of the retaining nail 20 so that said apex may slip on said nail 20 towards said overlying plate l2.

tinct vibratory sound accentuated by the click of the two members of the tap and the sound is magnified by the air contained within the chamber 13. The whole effect is distinct, resonant, sufliciently loud and generally novel and pleasing. I also wish to observe that my tap may be used without the overlying-plate l2, in. which case the sole of the shoe takes place of such a plate. The result is not as pleasing, it being more subdued and less resonant. Still, in spite of this, it might be preferred by some persons. Even in a case where I dispense with the covering plate I2, I provide for the slippage of the tip of the member'co-ntaining the sound chamber, so that the apex of said member I I may slip'on the retaining nail 20 and produce a sound by sudden contact between said apex and the sole of the shoe.

It will be obvious from the above description that the outline of my tap may be varied and that some other changes may be introduced, which changes would not materially deviate from the principle of the tap as described by me.

What I, therefore, wish to claim as my invention is as follows:

1. A tap for dancing comprising an impact plate, provided with a sound chamber therein, and an overlying plate, the two component parts being adapted to be attached as a unit to a shoe in such a manner that a clearance is left at one end between said component parts and that said component parts may clash against each other This sudderh, contact between the two plates produces a diswhen the tap is brought into contact with the dance floor.

2. In combination with a shoe, a tap for dancing comprising a dishlike cast metal member, the body of which is thicker in the middle section and tapers into thin marginal edges and an overlying thin metal cover of corresponding form, the two members when attached to the shoe being held firmly together at one end and loosely at the opposite end, said component members being adapted to be clashingly brought together when the tap is brought into contact with the dance floor.

-3. A tap for dancing substantially semilelliptical on the shorter basis of an ellipse and forming a base and an apex, said tap consisting of .a cast metalmember provided with a depression in the middle section thereof to form a sound box 'and an overlying thin metal diaphragm of a corresponding outline, the two component parts being held firmly together at their base but loosely together attheir apex end and adapted to be clashingly brought together when the tap attached to the shoe is brought into contact with the dance floor.

4.'A substantially triangular tap for dancing and forming in outline a base and an apex, said tap comprising a thicker impact member provided with a sound chamber therein and a thin metal overlying diaphragm, both members provided' with marginal perforations by means of which the tap may be attached to a shoe, the component parts of the tap being held in a firm contact at their base and loosely at their apex so as to normally leave a clearance therebetween.

5. In combination with a shoe a tap for danc ing, substantially triangular in form, provided with a base and an apex adapted to conform with the "tip of the shoe sole to which the tap may be attached, said tap comprising a thicker impact plate provided with a depression in the middle section thereof to form a sound box and a thin metal plate overlying said depression, said component parts containing marginal holes to accommodate means by which the tap may be attached to the sole of the shoe, the hole at the apex of the impact member being larger than the diameter of the meanswhich holds it attached tosaid sole, the two component parts of the tap being adapted to clash together at the apex when the tap is brought into contact with the dance floor.

OLEN I-I. YATES. 

